Skin can become irritated or otherwise damaged due to the use of a safety razor while shaving. A safety razor can irritate the skin if it is not used in combination with an adequate lubricant used to protect the skin. Thus, lubricants developed for shaving are often applied prior to shaving to prevent razor burn. Even when applied after the skin has been irritated, a lubricant can prevent any further damage from occurring.
Shaving lubricants are generally sold as emulsions, liquids, gels, or solids. In emulsion or liquid form, the shaving lubricants are generally packed in containers such as jars. Gels, and liquids on occasion, are typically dispensed from squeeze tubes, pressurised or pump actioned containers. Solid shaving soaps are generally packaged in a soap bar form.
The choice of applicator for a particular product generally depends on the design or functionality of the package, the additives in the composition, and the desired characteristics of the composition, for example phase, feel, shape, etc. For example, antiperspirant-type applicators are generally used in dry environments and often moulded to have a dome top for optimal use in the pitted area of the underarm. Similarly, lipstick-type applicators are designed to be used in dry environments, relatively small in size, closable and often moulded to have a flat and angled portion intended for ideal delivery onto the users lips.
Some people use shaving lubricants both inside and outside of the shower. For example, when shaving their legs, people will often apply a film or lather of soap to an area of skin to be shaved, shave that area, apply soap to another area, and shave that area. This process is repeated until shaving is complete. Shaving in this manner may be difficult and frustrating, as it generally requires the shaver to hold a slippery, wet bar of soap in one hand while wielding a razor in the other hand, often while standing in an awkward position on a slippery shower floor.
Applicators have yet to be developed for ideal dispensing of a shaving solid. Attempts have been made to assist in holding a wet shaving solid by incorporating the solid into antiperspirant-type applicators which use either a turn-dial or thumb-push to control dispensing. However, antiperspirant-type applicators require the additional step of manual dispensing by the user as the solid is consumed during application, and require multiple parts. Additionally, like other similar applicators/nondispensing-type applicators, applicators are generally not intended for use in wet environments. In particular, they are intended to stand with the solid pointed upwards, which encourages the pooling of water on or around the solid. Furthermore, traditional applicators lack ideal surface area for dispensing solid over a large area of the body, pronounced features for holding the applicator, and resilient mounting of the solid for the user's comfort and the applicator's durability.
Attempts have been made to reduce steps required to shave by providing soap mounted on a razor. For example, a razor that carries a shaving preparation, e.g., in the form of a solid cake of soap that surrounds the cartridge is available. However, this makes for a very large razor which can be difficult to navigate in constrained areas such as the bikini area. Thus, a limited mass of soap must be mounted onto this type of razor, the soap often being exhausted long before the life of the razor.
A need therefore exists to provide an applicator that overcomes or mitigates at least one of the downsides associates with conventional applicators.